Ball-stop for indoor golf.



L. H. TORREY.

BALL STOP FOR INDOOR GOLF.

APPLICATION FILED l-'E$. 23. 1915.

1,166,496. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

LEWIS H. TORREY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BALLQSTOP FOR INDOOR GOLF.

Application flledJ'ebruary 23, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS H. TORREY, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of\Vorcester and State. of lVlassm-husetts, have invented 0r discoveredcertain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Stops for Indoor Golf, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanyin g drawing.

This invention has for its object to provide a ball stop for indoor golfpractice, and which is of such construction that a golf ball may bedriven against the same with the full force of an outdoor swing or drivewithout danger of doing any damage, as will hereinafter more fullyappear.

In the accompanying drawing Figure-1 is a perspective view of thesupport or frame- 'work of the new ball stop. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the same with the main curtain attached thereto, and Fig. 3 isaperspective view of the complete stop comprising the mam and auxiliarycurtalns.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of base.

Referring to the drawing, 12 denotes a weighted base, which willpreferably be of I cast iron or other suitable metal or metals. Risingfrom the said base is a standard 13 consisting of a rod preferablyremovably attached to the said base by being screwed into the same.Supported from the top. of the standard 13, preferably by a shortforwardly extending rod 14, is a back bar 15 5 having forwardlyextending bars or arms 16. The bars or arms 16 are preferably removablyconnected with the back bar 15 by being screwed into elbows at the endsof said back bar, and the said back bar is also preferably removablyconnected to the top of the standard 13, either by being made in partsscrewed into a coupling at-the forward end of the bar 14, or by havingthe said bar 14 screwed into a coupling at the top' of the said standard13. By virtue of this construction the framework may be taken apart sothat it may be packed into close compass. v

The back bar 15 and its forwardly extending bars uI arms 16 are providedwith hooks 17 for the convenient removable attachment of the main andauxiliary curtains which will be provided with loops or eyelets 18 forthe reception of said hooks.

The stop curtains preferably consist of a Serial N0. 9,922.

main curtain 19 the end portions of which may be attached to the arms 16affording side curtains 19. the bars or arms 16 is attached a front orauxiliary curtain consisting preferably of a top portion 20 withseparated parts 21 depending therefrom, this front curtain, with itsdepending separated parts, being preferably made somewhat shorter thanthe main or back curtain.

In the practice of indoor golf, with the improved ball stop a light golfball consisting preferably of a sphere of cork. surfaced or covered toresemble an ordinary golf ball, will preferably be employed. However,instead of a light ball, such as that just referred to, an ordinary golfball may be used; and in using such somewhat heavier golf ball a secondauxiliary curtain 22, suspended betweenthe front auxiliary curtain andthe back curtain 19, will preferably be employed, this auxiliary curtain22 preferably having a slit-ted lower part, like the front auxiliarycurtain. The auxiliary curtain 22 will preferably be so formed that itsslitted part will break joints with the front auxiliary curtain, so thatif the heavier ball should pass through the slits in the front curtainitwill strike one of the separated depending parts of the curtain 22,and thus'theball will be retarded. The central part of the frontauxiliary curtain may be provided with a suitable designating mark orcharacter, as 23, to assist in taking aim for a straight drive.

\Vith a ball stop such as is above described indoor golf may be safelyplayed in any room where there is a suitable clear space, as a space12x9 feet, and the ball may safely be driven against the stop with allthe force of an outdoor drive, thus enabling a golfer to keep up hispractice in the Winter time and keep his muscles in shape for the nextseasons play. i

In driving a ball against the improved stop it may force its way throughthe divided or separated auxiliary retarding curtain or curtains, but ifnot stopped thereby will be finally stopped by the rear curtain, andwill fall to the floorj Instead of a weighted metal base, as 12, awooden cross-piece base, as 12 Fig. 4, may be employed, if desired, orthe base may be of any other suitable form.

Having thus described my invention I Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

To the forward ends of claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 4

'1. A ball stop, for indoor golf practice, comprising a curtain-supporthaving a su table base, a rear flexible stop or curtain, means forremovably attaching said stop or curtain to said support, and one ormore flexible retarding curtams in front of said rear stop or curtain.

2. A ball stop, for indoor golf practice, comprising a curtain-supporthaving a suitable base, a rear flexible stop or curtain, means forremovably /attaching said stop or curtain to said support, and one ormore flexible retarding curtains in front of said rear stop or curtain,said retarding curtains having depending, separated lower portions.

3. A ball stop, for indoor golf practice, consisting of acurtain-support comprising a suitable base, a standard removably mountedon said base, a curtain support removably connected with the top of saidstandard and comprising a back bar and forwardly extending bars or armsremovably attached to said back bar, back, side and front curtains, andmeans for removably attaching said curtains to said back bar and arms.

4. A ball stop, for indoor golf practice, consisting of acurtain-support comprising a suitable bas, a standard removably mountedon said base, a curtain support removably connected with the top of saidstandard and comprising a back bar and formemos Wardly extending bars orarms removably attached to said back bar, back, side and front curtains,and means for removably attaching said curtains to said back bar andarms, said means consisting of hooks on said back bar and arms and loopsor eyelets on said curtains.

5. A ball stop, for indoor golf practice, consisting of acurtain-support comprising a suitable base, a standard removablyirounted on said base, a curtain support removably connected with thetop of said standard and comprising a back bar and forwardly extendingbars or arms rcmovably attached to said back bar, back, side and frontcurtains, and n'ieans for removably attaching said curtains to said backbar and arms, thesaid front curtain being partly divided vertically.

6. A knock-down frame-work, for supporting stop'curtains for indoor golfpractice, consisting of a suitable base, a vertical rod or standardremovably attached to said base, and curtainsupporting bars removablyconnected with the upper part of said standard and formed in detachableparts, combined with a three-sided rear stop curtain, and one or moreflexible retarding curtains in front of said rear stop curtain.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LElVIS H. TORREY.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. HALE, E. H. H. WILSON.

